Unlike FIGHT CLUB, when it comes to the rules of Fatherhood, it is ok to talk about them freely, especially here at Dad-O-Matic.  But are there really any rules of Fatherhood, or Parenthood for that matter?  I’d argue that there are no rules except for one: Never do anything that could harm or endanger your child.  Outside of that, it seems that there are no hard and fast rules for being a good dad.  Certainly when our kids are born they do not come with a manual or FAQ. Sure, there are books and magazines we can read and videos we can watch and web sites we can visit, but I think that most dads just go with our guts.  We each approach fatherhood from our own unique perspective, taking cues from our own childhood experiences, as well as our own personalities and points of view.

VIVA LA DIFFERENCE

One of the great things about a collaborative blog like this one is that you, the readers, get the benefit of peeking into the minds of a varied group of dads at various stages of fatherhood, careers, marriage, and life in general.  We are a motley bunch who rant and rave about the things that irk us, and rave about our kids and the things we like.  We share things that make us laugh and things that make us cry.  We share our challenges and our triumphs, and most of all we share our passion for being a dad.  Our common bond is our greatest responsibility and the source of our greatest rewards – our children.

LEARN, BABY, LEARN

As I have spent 21 years writing my own Dad rulebook in real time by raising my kids, it is humbling how much there still is to learn from others.  As much as I enjoy writing for Dad-O-Matic, (thanks Chris and Pai for the opportunity!) I also greatly enjoy being a Dad-O-Matic reader, and having the opportunity to compare and contrast my views and experiences with the other dads and with all of you through your comments.  In particular, lately I have been fascinated by the fatherhood journey that Devon White has begun to share here, as it introduces a take on parenting that I was completely unaware of when my kids were the age of Devon’s son Miles. Judging from the comments to his posts, many of you find “Intentional” parenting interesting as well.

What do you think?  Are there any rules of Fatherhood that you abide by?  This is not FIGHT CLUB so please do talk about it in the comments!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 21, Ethan, 19 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab.

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